Thursday 19/March/2026 – 01:18 PM
Researchers in Sweden have begun giving patients a clinical trial of a new type of medicinal pill designed to simulate the effect of exercise inside the body, in a step that may pave the way for the creation of a treatment that helps build muscle mass. Muscles And improving physical fitness without intense physical activity, according to what was published in The Sun.
Try a pill that mimics the muscle-building effect of exercise
The new pill, which is taken once daily, activates specific receptors in muscles in a way similar to the effect of weightlifting or cycling, triggering a series of biological reactions within the body.
When these receptors are activated, muscles begin to absorb sugar from the blood more efficiently, which may help lower blood pressure, improve metabolism, and enhance the body’s ability to burn fat.
The effect of a single dose may be equivalent to approximately 30 minutes of exercise. The new drug is called ATR-258, and has undergone preliminary tests on animals and some human volunteers.
Currently, 10 overweight men are participating in an eight-week clinical trial at the University of Copenhagen, with the aim of evaluating the effectiveness of the drug and its effect on muscle mass and energy levels.
If experiments prove successful, this drug may become a therapeutic option to help elderly people who suffer from age-related muscle weakness, or patients with genetic diseases such as Muscular Dystrophy.
Paul Little from the company developing the drug said that the idea is to create something similar to exercise inside a pill, and the goal is not to turn users into bodybuilders, but rather to help them gain a small amount of muscle and improve movement and daily activity.
He explained that preliminary data indicates the possibility of increasing muscle mass by about one or two kilograms in users, in addition to improving energy levels and ability to move.
Preliminary results of ongoing trials are expected to be announced later this year, which may determine whether the drug will in the future become a new treatment option for people who cannot exercise regularly.
